The awards were recently presented by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation at Marketplace 2015, the Governor’s Conference on Minority Business Development, which was held at the Potawatomi Expo Center in Milwaukee. Awards were given to minority-owned business enterprises, women-owned business enterprises and service-disabled veteran businesses.

The Outstanding Business Awards recognize businesses that show overall business excellence in sales, product, customer relations, employment and management. The Rising Star Awards were given to businesses operating less than five years that have demonstrated strong growth potential.

Local area winners are as follows:

Applied Fab and Machining (DVB) of Wausau won an Outstanding Business Award in the large business category. Applied Fab and Machining specializes in custom metal manufacturing and assembly for the original equipment manufacturing and military markets.

Nearly 200 nominations were received for businesses of all sizes and from a diverse range of industries. The winners and finalists were recognized at a luncheon featuring Governor Scott Walker and keynote speaker Baly Ambegaoker, chief executive officer of CENTERPOINT Inc. and a U.S. Small Business Administration Minority Entrepreneur of the Year award recipient.

Attendance for the two-day conference was more than 700, making it a record year for the 34th annual event. Marketplace is the premier statewide business capacity building conference of the year for minority, women and veteran business entrepreneurs looking to do business with state, federal and local agencies as well as corporations. The conference provided opportunities for businesses to meet with potential buyers, identify funding sources, and connect with business assistance resources while networking with other businesses.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation leads economic development efforts for the state by advancing Wisconsin’s business climate. WEDC nurtures business growth and job creation by providing resources, technical support and financial assistance to companies, partners and communities in Wisconsin. WEDC has four focus areas: business and industry development, economic and community development, entrepreneurship and innovation and international business development. Together with more than 600 regional and local business development partners, it represents a highly responsive and coordinated network.

Education

Christine Kadonsky, Wausau West High School social studies teacher, participated in the "Andrew Jackson and His Era" colloquium in Nashville, Tenn., from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, sponsored by TeachingAmericanHistory.org, a program of the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University. Kadonsky was selected to participate following a competitive national application process.

GRI provides the world’s most widely-used sustainability reporting framework. The two-day training focused on GRI’s latest — fourth generation — guidelines, and was held in Istanbul, Turkey. Sustainability reporting is used by organizations to communicate their values and governance model, disclose their most significant impacts using standard performance indicators, and highlight linkages between strategy and commitment to a sustainable economy.

Hospitalists are a team of specially-trained physicians and advanced practice clinicians who manage a full spectrum of serious illnesses and specialize in coordinating care around the clock while patients are hospitalized. Because they work directly in the hospital, hospitalists are able to keep a close eye on patients, answer questions, monitor treatment in a timely manner, and coordinate care in conjunction with the patient’s primary health care provider.

Dr. Ipatii received her medical degree from the State University for Medicine and Pharmacy in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. She completed residencies in internal medicine at both Republican Clinical Hospital in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova and St. Mary’s Health Center; Department of Internal Medicine in St. Louis. She has a special interest and expertise in treating patients with diabetes and thyroid disorders.

In her spare time, Dr. Ipatii enjoys bicycling, swimming, hiking and skating. She is a former gymnast who promotes healthy lifestyle choices and exercise. Dr. Ipatii enjoys outdoor activities and traveling with her husband and two children.

Service

The Merrill Fire Department was recently notified of a grant award of $7,153.03 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Fire Protection Grant Program. The grant provides funding for the fire department’s wildland firefighting activities.

The fire department routinely seeks outside funding opportunities to leverage and stretch city and fire department funding. Over the last three years, the department has been awarded more than $16,000 in funding from the DNR Forest Fire Protection Grant Program in varying amounts to purchase needed equipment, including new firefighting wildland turnout gear, firefighting foam, chain saw, chain saw protective equipment, firefighting gloves and hoods, and dry hydrants supplies for the areas served in the townships. All the funding from these grants has enhanced the response capacity for the fire department as they work to protect the citizens.

FFP Grant funding is intended to expand the use of local fire departments to augment and strengthen the Department of Natural Resources overall initial-attack fire suppression capabilities on forest fires and wildland fires. Annually, the Merrill Fire Department responds to various wildland fires.

After conducting an assessment and prioritizing the needs of the Merrill Fire Department to be mission-ready, and to improve its wildland fire operations and firefighter safety programs, this grant was applied for. The grant award is specifically for wildland firefighting tools, equipment, and personal protective equipment to increase the safety of our firefighters and their ability to protect the public they serve.

The Merrill Fire Department is an all-hazard emergency response organization that provides fire protection to the city of Merrill, and the towns of Merrill, Rock Falls and Scott. According to a Merrill Fire Department press release, the department also provides Advanced Life Support Emergency Medical Services for the southern 59-percent of Lincoln County including the city of Merrill, the towns of Birch, Corning, Harding, Merrill, Pine River, Rock Falls, Russell, Schley, Scott and parts of Harrison. The coverage area for EMS is more than 525 square miles, with a population in excess of 20,000 residents.